Something To Celebrate
by Pumuckl
Summary: There's a new town festival in Stars Hollow, and someone doesn't like it. Set at the end of season 4, somewhere after Afterboom and before the selfhelp tapes. LL
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

After a few really busy days at the Dragonfly, Lorelai finally had a free afternoon she could enjoy. It was a warm spring day, and she felt good. She certainly wouldn't let her happiness be ruined by the fact she only had this free time because the delivery of the doors had been postponed_again_. It was still a few weeks before the test weekend, plenty of time left for them to arrive, right? And the fact that the water pressure in a few rooms still sucked wasn't a reason to spoil the warmth of the sun today. Everything would be ready in time. Maybe if she told herself often enough it would come true. Still, the weather was perfect and she felt good.

On her way to the diner Lorelai was approached by Miss Patty in front of the dance studio.

"Lorelai, darling, did you hear there is a town meeting tonight?"

"No, what is it about?" she asked curiously.

"As far as I know Taylor wants to announce a new annual town festival," Miss Patty shrugged. "He's keeping the theme a secret until tonight. I couldn't get it out of him, and believe me, I really tried," she frowned. "Someone has to know more about it, I think I'll keep trying to find out."

"Cool, a new town thing, I love that. When does the meeting start?"

Miss Patty, already a few steps away, no doubt deep in thought about who could know more about it, mumbled "At eight."

"Okay, thanks, Patty," she called after her, but it fell on deaf ears, as Patty plotted how to get the information from Taylor.

A new annual town festival? How awesome. Lorelai made a mental note to call Rory to tell her about it, and continued to the diner.

* * *

"Dare I ask why you're so happy?" Luke asked her as she entered the diner smiling and cheerily ordered a coffee from him. 

"I've just received exciting news!" Lorelai exclaimed, pausing dramatically and waiting expectantly for Luke to take the bait and ask about her news. He didn't.

"There's going to be a new annual town festival," she blurted, deciding she wasn't going to wait for him any longer. "Just what I need right now, with all the stress with the Inn. Something fun to distract me!" She smiled widely, taking a sip of her coffee.

"There already is a town thing every couple weeks, isn't that enough distraction for you?" Luke grumped. "It's getting pointless. Festivals should be something rare. If this crazy town gets two or three festivals more a year, we'll have one of these stupid things going on constantly. Never a break! There'll always be one or another festival the whole damn time. And every single one of them is just an excuse to drink and eat junk!"

Lorelai tried to disagree with his rant. "Oh, there aren't THAT many…"

"No?"

"Well, let's see: there's the Firelight Festival…" Lorelai started.

"The Spring-Spree..." Luke added.

"First-Day-Of-Summer-Festival…"

"End of Summer-Festival…"

"Fall-Festivities…"

"Winter-Waltz…"

"Don't forget the Bid-on-a-Basket-Fundraiser…"

"Or Movie-In-The-Square-Night…"

"Fourth of July…"

"Easter Egg Hunt…"

"And the Chocolate-Celebration-Carnival," Lorelai said, smiling at the thought of all the chocolaty goodness that would inevitably come with a festival like that.

"There's a Chocolate-Celebration-Carnival!" Luke asked, curious and disgusted at the same time.

"Well, there should be!" she declared indignantly. "There will be if I get my way…"

Luke interrupted. "Celebrating chocolate? What for? Because it's full of sugar and fat and rots your insides?"

Lorelai leaned forward and stage-whispered, "No, because eating it is like a mini orgasm on your tongue."

"Ah, jeez." Luke blushed, causing Lorelai to giggle. "Do you have to say things like that in public? There are other people here."

"Are you suggesting I should say those kind of things to you in private? How scandalous of you!"

"I just…" Luke sputtered. "I never… So what's the theme of the new annual town thing?"

"Trying to change the subject?"

Luke gave her an exasperated look, so she decided to let it go. "I don't know yet. I hope it's the Chocolate-Celebration-Carnival, which you, by the way, correctly identified as made up by me. I've suggested it to the town several times now, but they haven't gone with it. Or any of my other brilliant ideas, for that matter."

Luke snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure they're great. I've got some ideas, too. What about a festival where every crazy person in this crazy town is put into a straightjacket and forced to do therapy? The last handful of residents could celebrate that."

"Oh, don't act like you don't love this town, Luke," Lorelai smiled knowingly at Luke who softened at her remark and half-smiled back.

"Well, maybe some things that aren't too bad," he admitted as they locked eyes.

After a few seconds of staring, Lorelai shifted uncomfortably and looked down at her cup.

"Anyway, the theme of the new festival will be revealed tonight at eight at a town meeting. Are you coming? I'm sure you're curious to find out what this is about," she rambled to end the silence.

"Yeah, I can't wait to find out."

"I'll ignore the sarcasm and expect you to come to the meeting."

When Luke shook his head, Lorelai shrugged. "Well, you know how Taylor is. If you're not there to refuse to do something, he'll just decide that you'll have to participate with the diner. I would try to prevent it, but I'm afraid this is something you have to do yourself. So if you're not there, your diner will end up being in the center of the whole thing. And then I can say I told you so."

Luke gave in. "When does it start?"

"Eight," Lorelai answered, clearly delighted. "Does that mean I'll get to hear the rant about too many town festivals a second time? It's like watching reruns of Bewitched."

"Huh?"

"It never gets old." Luke gave her an irritated look, so she quickly shook her head. "Never mind. I have to go now." She downed the rest of her coffee. "See you tonight. I'll be the one cheering loudly about the new town thing." She paid and made her way to the door while talking. "It'll be great."

"How do you know you'll like it?" Luke called after her.

Lorelai stopped at the door and turned around. "When have I ever not liked a town festival?"

With that, she stepped out on the street, into the spring sun, leaving a smiling Luke behind.

* * *

"I think the world might finally be ready for our Chocolate-Celebration-Carnival," she said when Rory answered her cell phone. 

"Mom?"

"Who else would call you talking about a chocolate carnival?"

"I don't know, Willy Wonka? Someone from Hershey's? Paris when she's PMSing? Or maybe some crazy woman who loves chocolate so much she just calls random people to talk about that?"

"Yeah, and again I ask, who else?"

Rory sighed. "What did you say about the Chocolate-Celebration-Carnival? Did Taylor finally give in?"

"I don't know yet. But there will be a new annual town festival. Nobody knows what it is about yet. Not even Miss Patty."

"Not even Miss Patty? That_is_ top secret. How did Taylor manage that?"

"I don't know! But wouldn't it be great if he uses one of our suggestions? Perhaps it's something with music..."

"Or the 24-hour-movie-marathon" Rory added dreamily.

"Nah, I'm still hoping it's the one with the chocolate. Or, it can be the movie-marathon, but only chocolaty food is allowed!"

"And there'll be cool music between all the movies!"

"Ooh! Ooh! And then there'll be free coffee, but only the good stuff from Luke's!"

Rory snorted. "I think you're going over the top now, Mom. Ain't gonna happen. Luke doesn't give his coffee away for free."

"Well, it doesn't have to be free for the whole town… just for me. Oh, and free pie would be great, too..."

"Yeah, I'm sure Luke would love that suggestion. Did you ever stop and think about the possibility that this new thing could be something you won't like?"

"What! I love all the crazy things in this town!"

"Well, shall I remind you of the Firelight Festival a few years ago? You went all grumpy because of all those happy couples around you…"

"That was just one time; ONE TIME! I LOVED it all the other years. And this year I even got earrings out of it."

"Right. And then all the times Kirk won the dance marathon?"

"I'll win it someday!"

"Oh, and do you remember when you drank too much of Miss Patty's punch at the Winter Waltz of '99?"

"No, I don't remember that at all."

"Luke had to keep you from doing a table dance on the counter in the diner, directly in front of him. And then he practically had to carry you home because you couldn't even walk alone anymore. And you wouldn't stop babbling about all the things you wanted do to him after he'd brought you to bed…"

"I DID NOT! I really don't know what you're talking about." She said indignantly, "I think you must be mistaking me for someone else. How do you know about that anyway? You weren't even there! And I did _not_ tell him what I want to do with him in bed."

"So the other things really did happen? I always thought they were just making it up."

"Who is 'They'?"

"I can't reveal my sources. Journalistic Ethics 101. Did you really try to table dance on the counter?"

"You do know that isn't an argument against me liking every town thing, it just shows that I shouldn't drink Miss Patty's punch."

"Nobody should drink that stuff."

"Very true."

"Why did you call me again?" Rory asked.

"I just wanted to tell you about the brand new and exciting town thing!"

"And you did, among other things."

"Yeah. I suppose that's your oh-so-subtle way of telling me you want to get back to studying?"

"Sorry, I have to. But call me again tonight anyway to tell me about the town meeting and we can talk more then. Compare, contrast, make a pro/con lists…"

"It's a date. Have fun stuffing your head with all that useless knowledge."

"Please try not to annoy Taylor too much."

"Well, I never…!"

"Must be my other mom, then. Bye, Mom."

"Bye."

* * *

TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

The dance studio was already jam-packed when Lorelai arrived shortly before eight. She quickly scanned the room for Luke, smiling widely when she finally spotted him in the last row, and squeezed her way through the crowd towards him.

"Thanks for saving me a seat." She sat down next to him.

"Who said I saved the seat for you?" Luke remarked gruffly, but his grin gave him away.

"Did you find out what this is about?"

"No, but we'll most likely know in a few minutes, be patient."

"Yeah, sure, why not, after all if there's one thing I'm known for- it's my incredible patience. I've already waited the iwhole/i afternoon."

Before Luke could answer, Taylor walked to the front of the room and cleared his throat.

"As you all know, there will be a new annual town festival in Stars Hollow."

"Because there isn't already enough craziness around here," Luke interjected, but Taylor ignored him.

"This new festival will not be for only one day, but for one week. It will be something the whole town can attend. I hope we can convince the various businesses to partake."

Luke shook his head angrily. "You won't force me into doing anything, Taylor," he shouted over the excited murmur of the crowd.

"I know that, Luke, but maybe you will volunteer for the town," Taylor replied.

Lorelai couldn't help herself. "Ha!" she exclaimed loudly.

Taylor sighed deeply. "Do you want to say something, Lorelai?"

"You really expect Luke to volunteer to do something for you?" she mocked.

"Just tell us already what the damn theme is, you old fuddy-duddy. We're all waiting, so hurry up!" Babette yelled impatiently.

"Yeah, Taylor, the crowd is getting irritated," Miss Patty added. "And don't think I'll ever forget that you didn't tell me about it," she mumbled under her breath.

"I would tell you if everyone would just be quiet and let me speak!" Taylor groused.

"Suck it up and spill the beans," someone hollered.

"Sometimes I wonder why I still bother with this town," Taylor muttered, loudly enough for everyone to hear. Then he straightened up and took a deep breath. "The festival committee- with regard to the well-being of Stars Hollow's residents- is proud to announce the Festival of Healthy Living."

Again, the crowd erupted in excited murmur, while Lorelai frowned deeply. In her shock about the new festival, she didn't even really notice Kirk jumping up from his seat, triumphantly shouting, "Yes! That was my suggestion, well, technically my mothers, but I had to write it down and deliver it to Taylor. I won! Did you hear that, Lulu?" He was finally pulled down by Lulu and Andrew.

"What?" Lorelai exclaimed. "What happened to my chocolate carnival suggestion? What's so fun about 'healthy living'? Healthy living isn't fun! Aren't festivals supposed to be fun? iChocolate/i is fun!"

A snort to her right distracted Lorelai for a moment. She glanced at Luke, who was unsuccessfully trying not to laugh at her. She threw a murderous look at him.

Taylor continued as if Lorelai's tirade had never happened. "In these times where unhealthy

food and idleness are the most important things for some individuals," he paused and threw a disapproving look at Lorelai, "it is the duty of the community to point out the importance of living a healthy lifestyle; vegetables and fruits, working out…"

"No!" Lorelai groaned.

"Could I please end my sentence first? We can discuss this afterwards."

"No! Who had this horrible idea? Who wants to force me to eat broccoli?" Lorelai turned to her right. "Luke?" she asked accusatory.

"What? I didn't have anything to do with it," Luke defended himself grinning.

"Well, you always tell me to eat healthier, and now look at you being all happy and gloating about this stupid idea!"

"May I please say what I wanted to say first?" Taylor shouted impatiently.

"I'm not gloating, but I'm not unhappy about it, either. If there has to be a town festival, this is a great choice," Luke smirked

"Stop gloating, traitor," Lorelai hissed. "Schadenfreude doesn't suit you."

"I'm glad it gets your approval, Luke, but I wasn't done yet," Taylor said with a forced smile. "Vegetables…"

"Yuck!" Lorelai yelled.

"Fruits…"

"Boo!"

"Work out…"

"Murder, war, Friday night dinner," Lorelai added.

"Lorelai."

"Sorry, Taylor, I misunderstood."

Taylor finally ignored her. "Healthy drinks like water, fruit juice, tea without caffeine, sport…"

"So it _is_ about the things we hate," Lorelai exclaimed.

"No, it's about the things _you_ hate," Luke remarked, still smirking.

Lorelai chose to ignore him.

"Not everything is about you, Lorelai. It's about living healthily, staying fit," Taylor explained with the last remaining straws of his patience.

"This is about me!" Lorelai objected. "One week? Seven days? I take this as personal vendetta! You're still mad at me for not standing behind you with your rocks museum idea! I do hope you understand this means war!"

"In this week of the Festival of Healthy Living, there'll be no junk food, no sitting around, no unhealthy drinks in this town, as far as I can control it", Taylor continued pointedly ignoring her. "Now I invite everyone to suggest what they can do to contribute to the health of our residents…"

"I have a lot of ideas. Let me just get the list mother made me write down," Kirk immediately declared. He searched through his pockets. "It has to be somewhere… Oh, I found it. See, Taylor, it's a really long list…"

"What about my coffee?" Lorelai cried out desperately.

* * *

"This is the most horrible thing ever," Lorelai grumped one hour later. After the town meeting, she'd followed Luke, ignoring his remarks about the diner being closed, and was now sitting at the counter in the deserted diner.

Luke snorted. "Yeah, really horrible, if you compare it to all the other bad stuff happening in the world."

"You know what I mean."

Luke grabbed an empty cup. "Do you want coffee?" he asked, and reached for the coffee pot without waiting for the obvious answer.

Lorelai stared at him puzzled. "You're giving me coffee voluntarily?"

"Well, soon, with the new festival and all, you're not going to get any coffee for a week. I can't deprive you of one of your last cups. Enjoy it while you can." He smirked, _again_, and Lorelai got the slight urge to smack him. He was having too much fun with this for her liking.

"I still can't believe you promised Taylor you would maybe take part in this stupid thing."

Luke shrugged. "What can I do? It's for the town. Who is the person that's always telling me to take part in the things happening here? Oh, right, that's you."

"Stop gloating. You're starting to freak me out with that constant grin on your face."

Luke's grin broadened. "Sorry, it's just… you should have seen your face at the meeting."

Lorelai pouted. "You're no fun when you have fun. And when I told you to take part in things, I was talking about fun things; bonfires, picnics, dancing, lots of unhealthy, delicious food, drinking. Not healthy food, green tea and work outs." She spoke the last sentence with disgust.

"Working out _is_ fun," Luke stated matter-of-factly.

"You work out?" Lorelai eyed him from head to… well, from head to counter.

"You think flipping burgers is enough exercise to keep me fit? Of course I work out." Luke said, and Lorelai took his statement as an invitation to look at his upper body again. His shoulders were really broad, his arms looked strong, and his chest was nice as far as she could tell under all that flannel…

When she realized the silence (combined with her staring) was getting awkward, she shrugged. "Don't ask me, I don't work out and still look fine," she quickly answered.

"How do you do that anyway?"

"Magic metabolism? I don't know. It's just one of the many secrets of life."

"You know, even though you look fine, your arteries are still clogged, and your cholesterol should be skyrocketing by now. Your insides probably don't look better than the insides of a seventy year old man who weighs 300 pounds."

"As long as I don't look at that on the outside…"

Luke grinned briefly, but then got serious. "Think about it. We don't want you to die at forty-five."

"We don't?" Lorelai asked playfully.

"No," Luke answered, and gazed at her even more seriously than before.

For the second time that day, Lorelai found herself in a situation where she was sharing meaningful stares with Luke. As she had before, she quickly grew uncomfortable.

"So, you think I look fine?" If she were uncomfortable, Luke should be, too.

"I just quoted you," he answered gruffly.

"So you don't really think I look fine, you just repeated what I said?"

Now _he_ looked uncomfortable. Lorelai smirked.

"Drink your coffee," Luke finally said. "You won't be getting any for a whole week soon."

"You know, you could only threaten me with that if I got some usually."

"You always get some sooner or later!" Luke winced. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Lorelai pretended to be scandalized. "I really don't know what you're talking about._ I_ was talking about coffee."

"Sure," Luke remarked unimpressed.

"Can I have a burger with my second coffee?"

"My speech about your clogged arteries really worked, didn't it?" Luke fumed. "Are you trying to make up for the time you won't be able to get those things in this town? Making sure your body can't get a little less poisoned in that week by eating even more of that crap now? And a second cup of coffee after nine in the evening? Don't you want to be able to sleep tonight?"

Lorelai just stared at him with a slight pout until he gave up. He filled her cup, and turned around to go to the kitchen. "It's your body," he mumbled, loud enough for her to hear.

"And it's ifine/i," she added grinning.

He simply shook his head and disappeared into the kitchen.

After making sure Luke couldn't see her, Lorelai fetched her cell phone out of her purse.

"I have to move in with you for a week."

"Mom?"

"Do we really have to get over this again? Who else? I have to move in with you for a week."

"Why? Did you annoy Taylor so much you were banned from the town?"

"He doesn't have that much power."

"Are you sure about that? We still don't know what happened to that guy."

"What guy?"

"The one that disappeared."

"Disappeared where?"

"Well, if we knew that we would also know what happened to him."

"What happened to who?"

"The guy that… I can totally understand that Taylor banned you from town, Mom."

"He didn't, but I really do have to move in with you for a week."

"What happened?"

"Guess what the new annual week-long festival will be about?" Lorelai asked gravely.

"Don't make me guess, there are too many possibilities."

"You would have never guessed right anyway. The new annual week-long town festival will be 'The Festival of Healthy Living'!"

"You're kidding!"

"I wouldn't make jokes about a serious matter like this."

"You would."

"Well, yeah, but not now. It wasn't a joke. I wish it were."

"But how can they force someone to live healthily?"

"They can't. But they can make it difficult to live like a normal person. And I was so sure it would be the Chocolate-Celebration-Carnival. _That_ would be…" She was interrupted by Luke, who looked through the doorway.

"Don't make calls in here!" he demanded.

Lorelai tried to look innocent. "I'm not! I'm just talking to myself, because I'm bored sitting all alone at the counter… You know me; I always have to talk, even if there's no one listening. So I just talk to myself."

"While pressing your cell phone to your ear?" Apparently, Luke wasn't impressed by her babbling.

"The color goes well with my lipstick," she tried again.

"Great excuse, Mom," Rory commented sarcastically.

"Just go outside," Luke requested, clearly annoyed.

Lorelai didn't budge. "Something smells burned," she said truthfully.

"Crap! Go outside." Luke retreated to the kitchen.

"You're calling me from Luke's?" Rory asked disapprovingly. "You know he doesn't like that."

"So what?"

"Man, this festival is making you snippy."

"It's his own fault I'm using my cell phone in here. He totally laughed about my reaction at the town meeting!"

"That's really grown-up."

"Yeah, Luke can be childish sometimes," Lorelai deliberately misunderstood.

"I was talking about you, Mom."

Luke came out of the kitchen carrying a plate with a burger. When he saw that Lorelai was still using her cell phone, he looked really pissed.

Lorelai tried to look guilty. "Luke just came out of the kitchen. I have to go before he kills me or, even worse, confiscates my cell phone."

"Call me again when you're not at the diner anymore, I want to know more about the festival."

"Sure thing. We have to come up with a plan to prevent it from happening."

"But it's already planned and all, right?"

"Then we have to make a plan to prevent it from being annual."

"If you think you can stop Taylor…"

"We'll just have to find a way. Bye, hon."

* * *

Luke placed the plate in front of Lorelai and regarded her silently, while she began to wolf down her burger. Was she serious with the things she said to Rory?

"Are you really serious?" he finally asked after a few seconds.

"About eating my burger? Yes," Lorelai answered and took another giant bite.

"About preventing the festival. Someone in this town is finally being responsible and showing people how to live healthily. You can live through one week a year where you don't get to eat junk food at every corner and drink coffee every five minutes. You still have fifty-one weeks to live as unhealthily as you like," Luke stated harshly.

Lorelai sighted in defeat. "I know… It's just that I've been so excited about the new town thing and the possibilities what it could be, and now it's something I won't be able to enjoy."

Luke softened as soon as he heard her somewhat disheartened words. "You don't know that," he said gently.

"People at every corner who tell me I should work out, or else I'll die at forty-five? Or telling me to eat more salad instead of fries? That's depressing."

He hated it when Lorelai wasn't her usual chipper self, as annoying as she could be sometimes. "You could still take part in some of those workouts or sports things, and realize it can be fun," he suggested.

She reacted just the way he'd expected. "Sure!" she exclaimed sarcastically. "Did you know I broke my leg in yoga class?"

Of course he already knew that. Luke had to smother a smile at the mental picture of Lorelai breaking her leg at a y_oga_ class of all things. Not because it was funny, but because it was so _Lorelai._ "You could at least try to have fun," he tried again.

"Wow, total role reversal," Lorelai commented perplexed. "I still say I will not have fun at this festival. You'll see!"

But Luke didn't give up so fast. "I say you could really enjoy a few aspects if you just gave it a try."

"I really could do with some fun right now. All the stress with the Inn, my parents, and being- once again- single…"

Luke tried to ignore the warm feeling in his stomach. So she had dumped the weird suit-wearing guy he'd seen in her car in front of the diner a few weeks ago? Good… for Lorelai, of course. He didn't seem to be right for her. "What's the problem? You need distraction, there's the festival- have fun, enjoy," he finally said.

Lorelai looked at him like he was crazy, or worse, Kirk. "Healthy. Living," she said slowly.

"So you're saying you won't be able to have the tiniest bit of fun?"

Again, Lorelai looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Healthy. Living."

"I'm sure you will have a good time," he said firmly.

Now she looked intrigued. "Yeah?" she asked doubtfully.

"You will enjoy it," he repeated.

Lorelai regarded him curious. "You're awfully sure about that, considering you never have fun at town things yourself."

"Yeah, but I know you," Luke stated. "And I know you would enjoy this if you tried."

The expression in her eyes changed from weary to challenging. "Well, Mr. Know-It-All, why don't we make it a bet, then? You say I will have a good time, I say I won't. Since I could do with some fun right now, I'm all for trying."

She wanted to bet?

Lorelai grinned when he didn't respond. "Now you're chickening out, huh?"

"I don't know how to make a bet on someone having fun."

"Well, since I don't know how to have a good time with workouts and vegetables, and you seem to know everything, you'd have to show me. If I enjoy whatever you suggest we do, you win. If I don't, and I'm sure that'll be the case, I win."

"Basically, I have to come up with something we can do together, and you'll just have to show up, complaining about whatever we'll be doing?" he asked defeated.

Lorelai smiled. "It'll be like always, just the other way around," she confirmed.

Luke thought about that for a moment. She was right.

What did he have to lose? He'd get to spend time with her, maybe get her to eat vegetables or do some workouts; surely he'd be able to come up with something she'd enjoy. Since he couldn't stand Lorelai being stressed and unhappy… "Okay," he said. "It's a bet."

Lorelai gaped at him. "What?"

He grinned at her astonishment. "I'll think of something to do."

"Really? You want to spend time with me although you know I'll be complaining about everything we'll be doing?"

"First of all, I know you will have fun. Secondly, you spend time with me, and God knows I complain about everything all the time."

"That's true."

"Third, I'm too much of a man to chicken out. I said you'll have fun, so you'll have fun."

Lorelai smirked. "You, my friend, are totally gonna lose."

TBC


End file.
